Thapelo Morena has been trending since Tuesday thanks to his brace against Zimbabwe which helped South Africa claim a 3-1 win at the Free State Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein.
The Mamelodi Sundowns player was introduced after the break, but capitalized on the chance to ensure Bafana Bafana make a statement in their bid to play the 2026 World Cup that will be jointly held by the United States, Mexico and Canada.
In an interesting turn of events, former Sundowns coach has now opened up on how he took the player from under Kaizer Chiefs nose ahead of the 2016/17 season. Amakhosi were desperate to land the now 30-year-old after his impressive stint with Royal AM, but Jingles – who was then coaching Masandawana, had other ideas.
It was tough getting him ahead of the Glamour Boys – Pitso reveals struggle to sign Morena
Mosimane was impressed with the qualities possessed by Morena, but it was tough to get him since the Soweto giants had also shown their interest in the player.
The then Downs coach had to go an extra mile to ensure he signed his man, “I am happy to see Thapelo Morena gracing the back pages of the papers,” the 59-year-old told Radio2000.
“I had to go to Randfontein to convince his parents to come sign for us. It was tough because even Chiefs wanted him at the time. I'm glad I played my part.”
Since 2016, Morena has been a critical part in the Masandawana setup, featuring prominently regardless of the position he plays. Last season, he played a vital part to help the Brazilians win their seventh consecutive Premier Soccer League title and the inaugural African Football League.
His exploits mean the Bafana Bafana coach can rely on Morena regularly in his quest to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and the World Cup.
